The plans suggest that the bar would be run as a separate business closed off from the rest of the building and accessed by the existing door in the lane, beside J&G Dossetts butcher’s shop.

In the letter with the application, the owner’s architect, Neil Rothnie, says that “the bar is retained as it is with minor internal alterations to provide toilets specifically to this part”. In addition to the toilets, the revised plans show the bar as having its own kitchen, suggesting the owner expects the operator will want to serve bar meals.

The main part of the building, accessed through the main door, would offer two styles of dining. On the left inside the main door (the former dining room) would be a restaurant offering more formal dining. On the right inside of the entrance hall the application envisages less formal cafe-style service in what was the lounge bar.

The kitchen for both the dining room and the cafe-style dining areas would be in the basement.

The architect goes on to state that the “lettable rooms to the first and second floors above will remain as such… they will be managed by the client via the proposed restaurant part”.

Turning to the sensitive issue of the listed building features, the architect says: “there are no proposals to the exterior of the building and there are limited residual listed features to the interior of the building”.

“It is intended to submit a future planning application to erect traditional-style railings to the front of the building,” he adds, “to define the client’s ownership and to establish an external seating area.”